1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image editing method and an image editing apparatus for editing a still image on a display screen.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A photobook in which still images, captured with a digital camera or the like, are laid out like an album is known. The photobook is viewed as an electronic album when the laid out still images are outputted to a display device. The photobook can be viewed as an ordinary photo album when the still images are printed on printing media such as paper.
As described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-238162 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0244618 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-244725), an image editing apparatus capable of editing still images on a screen is used for creating a photobook. The image editing apparatus has various editing functions such as a function to enlarge or reduce a still image, a function to rotate a still image to adjust its orientation, a cropping function to cut off or remove a part of a still image, a function to display text on or around a still image, and a function to put a still image in a decorative frame. Thereby, the image editing apparatus allows an operator not only to lay out the still images but also to perform various processes on each of the still images.
By processing the still images, the photobook becomes highly attractive as compared with the photo album or the electronic album in which photographs or still images are just laid out. This is why the photobook is useful in keeping the still images for commemoration or as a gift.
The image editing apparatus is installed in a photo development shop or the like. A shop clerk operates the image editing apparatus at a customer's request or a customer him/herself operates the image editing apparatus to create a desired photobook. There have been cases where a customer or even a shop clerk was not accustomed to operation of the image editing apparatus with many functions and took a long time to create a photobook. It is desired to improve operability of the image editing apparatus to allow the shop clerk or the customer who are not accustomed to the operation to create an attractive photobook easily.
For example, the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-238162 discloses that an attractive photobook is created easily by grouping still images according to directions of eyes of subjects and automatically arranging the still images such that the eyes of the subjects are directed to the center of two facing pages. The U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0244618 discloses that a sensor distinguishes between users who selected images. Thereby, operability is improved when still images are selected by two or more users simultaneously.
The U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0244618 discloses that a touch panel is used as a device for inputting an operation. Because the touch panel allows intuitive operation such as touching an icon or the like on a screen with a finger or an exclusive pen to provide input, it is easy for even an inexperienced user to understand or learn the operation. Operability is improved as compared with the case where a pointing device such as a mouse is used.
When the image editing apparatus with the touch panel is used, a desired editing function is set by operating one of icons or selecting one of menu items from a menu list. The icons or menu items correspond to the respective editing functions. Operation corresponding to the selected function is performed on the still image, being an object, and thus the still image is edited. This type of operation, however, requires setting of the editing functions, and is not easy for a user not accustomed to the operation because the setting operation is bothersome, the icons and menu items to be used are difficult to find, and the like.
As described above, in the present situation, even the image editing apparatus with the touch panel lacks consideration on an operation method for editing a still image. It is desired that the operation of editing a still image on the screen of the image editing apparatus with the touch panel to be more intuitive.